


Snake

by DaisyFairy



Category: Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Developing Relationship, Insecure Crowley (Good Omens), Kissing, Other, Post-Apocalypse, Sharing a Bed, Snake!Crowley - Freeform, Species fluidity, non-binary Aziraphale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-08-10
Packaged: 2020-08-14 01:33:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20184043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaisyFairy/pseuds/DaisyFairy
Summary: Staying with Aziraphale after the failed apocalypse would have been perfect, if it weren't for a little secret that Crowley has been keeping for 6 thousand years.





	Snake

They had survived. Tricked their way out of punishment for their part in the thwarted apocalypse, so they were, in theory, safe. But Crowley still couldn’t quite believe it, deep down. So after they swapped back to their own bodies, after they dined at the Ritz and toasted the World that they had both come to love more than (nearly) anything, Crowley insisted on going back to the bookshop for a nightcap, and then, just, stayed.

All of the emotions and everything they had been through caught up with them after they had only managed a single glass of whisky each, and by wordless agreement they ended up sleeping together under the old floral bedspread on Aziraphale’s small double bed, crammed in between piles of books. They started that first night lying as far apart as could be, but awoke to find themselves cuddled together, and it was as simple as anything to kiss one another good morning and go about their day.

Crowley hung around the bookshop getting under Aziraphale's feet as they inventoried all of the new books they had been gifted, and watching fondly as his angel constantly got distracted from the task and started reading the new books instead of cataloguing then.

Then when the sun started to get low Crowley plucked the book from Aziraphale’s hand and led them up the stairs, and back to bed.

The next few days followed the same pattern, with little variations like a trip to a nearby cafe, and they slept curled together, sheltered safe in each others arms. The kisses became longer, the cuddles became closer, and they were edging towards something that had been coming for hundreds of years but that they had never dared to reach for before.

The lingering wariness of retribution faded, here in their sanctuary it seemed remote, and still Crowley stayed. It should have been perfect, would have been perfect, if it weren’t for a little secret that Crowley had been hiding from Aziraphale for six thousand years.

The truth of the matter is that while the pair of them may be supernatural entities whose true form is not comprehensible to mortal eyes, they were both currently inhabiting corporeal bodies. Aziraphale's body was supplied by heaven, a perfect specimen of humanity, although modifications like genitals required effort the rest of it just existed for him to use as his own.

Crowley, unfortunately was not so lucky, he was cursed to slither on his belly as a snake, and his human body was an affectation that he puts on with continuous effort on his part. In the normal course of things he would change back into his snake form every five days or so, a few hours to rest from the effort and to allow his body to stretch and settle into itself. He has gone longer, a few weeks on occasion, but the same weariness that has made them both sleep every night since their recent ordeal was making it hard to hold his form.

Aziraphale has seen the snake, of course, back in the garden, but admitting that rather than the reptilian form being a mere option for the demon, or a simple disguise used for the original temptation, that it was in fact Crowley’s ‘real' body was more than he could bear.

The days passed, ten days since they had survived their ‘executions’, and they were still together. Reading, sleeping, eating, talking, drinking, and kissing, increasingly more kissing. It was lovely, but Crowley was struggling. Scales were appearing, and it was all he could do to make them keep to areas hidden by his clothes. He could feel his arms longing to retract into his body, his legs were begging to fuse, and he couldn’t let it happen here, but he couldn’t imagine being Not here either. ‘Here’ being wherever Aziraphale was.

By day 12 things were far far better, and far far worse. The kisses had become languid, lingering affairs, and fortunately Aziraphale seemed to enjoy the snake tongue because unbeknownst to him there was nothing Crowley could do any longer to prevent it. But on the downside Crowley was finding everything that didn’t involve lying in bed with an angel in his arms harder and harder. His back ached, his joints were stiff and the lure of sleep was becoming harder to resist. Aziraphale accepted Crowley’s weak excuses with scepticism, but didn’t pry.

Day 14 arrived and when Crowley awoke he could barely move, and still he wouldn’t give in. He didn’t want to risk what was developing between him and Aziraphale by reminding them of what he was. Aziraphale didn’t notice at first, just enjoying the warmth of their bed, but when he tried to tempt Crowley out for breakfast it became impossible to ignore. Crowley tried to get up, but the movement dragged a garbled scream from his throat that he failed to stifle. Aziraphale’s face crumpled and tears sprang to their eyes, spilling down their cheeks as they implored Crowley to tell them what was wrong. All of their building worries came to a head and they were certain that Crowley was dying, that he was being punished for his part in recent events.

Seeing the heartbroken expression on Aziraphale’s face Crowley couldn’t hold back any longer and admitted to them the truth, that he was nothing more than the thing he had been damned to be, not worthy of his angel's love, a lowly snake.

Aziraphale’s tears cleared and they beamed in relief. They peppered Crowley’s face with kisses, then his hands, arms, shoulders. They insisted that Crowley changed immediately, and despite his fears that it would change how Aziraphale saw him Crowley couldn’t hold off any more. He changed reluctantly, but couldn’t regret it, his spine lengthened and immediately loosened, and the burden of holding himself was suddenly gone, he could just relax into being this. He turned his yellow eyes towards Aziraphale, half expecting rejection, but they happily wound him around their neck and carried him around with them for hours keeping up a happy stream of chatter that Crowley replied to with hisses and flicks of his tongue.

When bedtime came and Crowley changed back into his human form, much improved but still a little stiff, after denying himself so long it would take more time to be totally restored, Aziraphale scolded him for being so silly and ordered him to change back immediately. Being softly kissed goodnight, and allowed to wrap his entire self around his sleeping angel, Crowley felt fully accepted for the first time since he had taken the long dive down into hell.

**Author's Note:**

> I tried a different style for this, I hope it worked ☺
> 
> Thanks for reading. Comments makes me smile, hint hint 😁


End file.
